Linden Mead, a Seattle Department of Transportation arborist, addresses one of the concerns I would have about planting edible crops next to a street:
"Although the list may not be exhaustive, and gardeners are encouraged
to be creative, they do need to follow some parameters. Plants grown
within the area equal to or less than 30 feet from an intersection
may not exceed 24" (2 feet) in height at maturity. This is so that
visibility is adequately maintained (cars and pedestrians visible
to each other). When a planting strip is 5 feet wide or less, plants
may not exceed 36" (3 feet) in height at maturity. This is to help
assure pedestrian safety/visibility as well as to maintain pedestrian
walkways and the roadway clear of overgrowth which may impede travel
on the right-of-way. With wider strips, it is possible to put in scattered,
taller plants, if planted in the middle of the strip.
"There are also regulations about 'hardscape' - which may include
planting beds in the strip. Raised beds may be constructed from
timber but rocks or bricks that are easily moved (read here 'picked
up and thrown') are not allowed. Permits are also required to plant, prune or remove trees."

Seattle Department of Transportation has specific information about growing food in the planting or parking strip. There are some concerns as well as a few restrictions, described here:
"SDOT prohibits fruit trees because of the slipping hazard for pedestrians from fallen fruit. For some residents, it's their only sunny area to grow vegetables. But the planting strip is a public space, part of the public right-of-way, so it's hard to control what
pets or people do there. It can be harder to reach with water, and there may be concerns with the soil." It is also a good idea to test the soil for contaminants before planting edible crops.

Garden Tool: A good book to help those of us living on tiny urban lots, or in the even smaller spaces of condominiums and townhouses is Big Ideas for Northwest Small Gardens by Marty Wingate (Sasquatch, 2003). It guides the city gardener through design consideration and appropriate plant selection. One chapter answers common questions city gardeners have, such as "Can I have a wildlife garden?" Color photography by Jacqueline Koch helps make this informative book a pleasure to read.